PARK TRUSTEES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2122, 17 October 1885, Page 2

PARK TRUSTEES.

A special meeting of the Masterton Park Trustees was held yesterday afternoon, Present—Messrs Payton (Chairman), D. McGregor, Vile, Renall, and Bumjy.

The minutes of % Jast meeting were read and confirmed,

A letter was read from Mr Boddjngfcon, apologising for his unavoidable absence, The Chairman explained that the meeting was a special one to consider the proposal of the cricketers to modify the terms jn the proposed lease of the Park Oval,

Messrs W, G. Beard and F. Pelling, representing the Masterton ancl Tradesmen's Cricket Clubs respectively, then entered the room.

Mr Beard said he had sent a memorandum of the terms they pi'oposed, to the Trustee?. Aj; ,a ipeting held some time ago the Trustees frad .aresolution iii favor of letting tlje' Qval to the cricketers, bjifc the cricketers thgughi tjfaji the terms should be moijijiei}, At present they offered to lease the ground to them for seven years, subject to six months notice. They were simply saying that the cricketers could have the ground so long as they behaved themselves; other- , wise, the resolution would never have :

been passed in that form. If it had been intended that the time should have been from six months to six months it would have been passed in that shape. He suggested thatin place of that they should let it for a definite term of seyen years under certain conditions, and if the cricketers broke any of them they could turn them off at once, He proposed that the lease should be for seven years; that the rent be £lO per annum, £8- of which should be spent on the ground; that the lease be to two or three Trustees, one of whom shall be the Chairman of the Park Trustees for the time being, and to whom all disputes shall be referred. They would also undertake that these Trustees would let tho Oval for other purposes on particular days, on condition that any damage to the ground be at once made good. The cricketers deserved every consideration, and they had been led to understand that they would have a ground. Now that the Trustees had acquired another piece of ground, they had a good opportunity to form a football ground elsewhere. It was impossible to play cricket on the Oval without going to a great deal of trouble and expense. The only object in asking for the lease was to get the ground in decent order, and to keep it so. He hoped the Trustees would give them every consideration. Mr Renall enquired what would be done with the £lO in case they were not spent. Mr Beard said that there was no fear of the money lying idle, for a great deal more than that would have to be spent on the ground. The money was to be spent on the ground, not on the cricketers.

Mr M'Gregor said there was only one point of difference. When they had decided on the six months notice he had his doubts whether it would act. He had supported the resolution on the ground that the Oval would be required for occasions other than cricket, The cricketers were not prepared to make the ground unless they had a guarantee that they would be allowed to hold it for a reasonable term. He believed that if the ground was not let to some special trust the}' would never have it made, and have no proper cricket. If that viow m not tten by them the orlcketerp wqiild drop out, and it would soon become a wilderness. They had the opportunity to put the ground in proper order, and they should take it. He moved, That that portion of the resolution passed at the previous meeting having regard to the six months' notice be rescinded.

Some discussion arose as to whether the motion was in order, and the Chairman ruled that it was in order.

Mr Vile seconded the resolution. Something had been said about the ground being also for oilier hodjeg. With regard to footballers, the Trustees had tried to keep them off, biitthe footballers and cricketers were nearly the same, and they took it on themselves to play. They really had to thank themselves a good deal for the present state of the ground. Mr Rerjall said the question seemed to be one of principle. They had no right to hand qvertq anybody what belonged tq tho public, He asked, was it proposed to exclude the general pi}tlic ? Mr Beard; Certainly not. The Chairman said at the last meeting they had stipulated for six months' notice so as to protect the public. He should be quite willing to waive that,'so long as Hi® M Trustees reserved themselves the right to use the Oya| fop other piiblic purposes, except football. Mr Bunny could see that the Trustees would take on themselves a very onerous responsibility, and if they accepted the terms, they wqi|ld grant aft pteplute right tp the grope} fqr. seven year' 3, (Jfr McGregpr: Ifa 1) They simply said they lyould allqw the i|se of the ground to qtljerfj, pfqyij|et} fcjiey tjy no damage. The' Oajedprijai) and Friendly Societies ha 4 contributed towards iqakjug tlje j;roi)ii(l, und so hat) the foqtbal|ers. (Mr McGregor | Very little.) What woiili}' these get? Why, noting, and tliey lypuld liaye to enter into an pdertajjjiig tp repair the damages, so that the cricketers should not havo to suffer. In other colonies footballers played on the same ground as cricketers, and he had yet to learn that they did so very much damage. He had the cricketers' interest at heart, and might possibly play again, but he should oppose the proposal tooth and nail.

J£r Bpai;d fas quite willing to modify his pr6])b&! way that the Trust shotild derive a profit' ''JEte wbuldl give tj?e B as previously passei}, ancl "spend theßflnthp pjjnf],' " ! " Mr Buuny §aid tljey soi}l4 ngt tyke tlip responsibility upon tl}en)selye§ tpsee tiiat other bodieg'lfopt th© ground in prdep. ' The Chairman said if hp ponM not' see what was to take tlje plage of the resolution he oould not vote for it,

Mr M'Gregor could not quite agree with the memorandum of the deputation. Tj}§ Trustees should reserve to themselves the absolute rjgjit to let to other bodies, provided they g.ot spipefclpg tp keep the groun,d inoifjer!' A'fter fpfeep 4'scussipn o|i the prppoged ternjs, $9 fflotipi) lyas abandoned, and Mi' Bunny then HWef? thfti- the whole of the resolution passed at the last meeting be rescinded, This was seconded by Mr M'Grei>or and carried,

The following points for the proposed lease were then agreed to: —(1.) The Tfustees to let to the cricketers for seven yesirs certain j (V The lease to be to three Trustees oil behalf pf-fche Cripket Clubs'; (3.) Tlie Wi ;'(4;) N,ot less than £8 to be' spent annnaj)y gii % Qy^l;' (!>.)% Bark Trustees to havo power tp let'the' grpi}iid for sports, etc. , except football, the Park Trustees assuring, as far as possible, that the Oval shall not be injured for cricket purposes, and that any injury 1)9 at flnce repaired; (6.) Cricketers to keep - fence and turf in order ; (7.) The Trustees to have power to enter into possession if Clubs disband or neglect the ground. T!)S r , e &°Ju t %1 WW then moved as a whole by Mi' JfcQrdgpr, seconded by Mr Vile, and carried unanin)otjsiy.' ; ' ' . The meeting then terminated,